Hay-rake



J. GOPPERT.

HAY RAKE (No Model.)

No. 597,496. Patented Jan. 18,1898.

UNITED STATES PATENT Unmet.

JULIUS GOPPERT, OF GROVERTOIVN, INDIANA.

HAY-RAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 597,496, dated January18, 1898.

Application filed April 10, 1897. Serial No. 631,595. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JULIUS GOPPERT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Grovertown, in the county of Starke and State of Indiana,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hay-Rakes; and I dohereby declare the following to bea full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to hay-rakes; audit consists in the novelconstruction and combination of the parts hereinafter fully describedand claimed, whereby the teeth are locked automatically when lowered andthe dump is effected by the forward motion of the machine when the teethare unlocked.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side view of portions of a haya'akeconstructed according to this invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of thesame.

A is the frame, and A are portions of the shafts. B is the axle,journaled in the rear part a of the frame, and B are the groundwheelscarried by the axle. One of these ground-wheels is secured on the axle,and b is a ratchet-toothed wheel secured on the middle part of the axle.

G are the teeth of the rake, carried by a tooth-bar c, which is pivotedto the axle by arms 0.

G is the seat for the driver.

All the above-mentioned parts are of any approved construction.

D is an arm projecting upwardly from the tooth-bar c, and (Z is abracket secured to the front portion of the frame A.

E is a short lever pivoted to the bracket d by a pin cl. The rear endportione of the lever E is curved upward, and it is provided with ahandle e. Thishandle, however, may be left off, if desired.

F is a double bar having its front portion pivoted to the lever E, nearthe pin (1', by a pin f. The rear end of the double bar F is pivoted tothe arm D by a pin f.

The lever E works in a vertical plane be tween the two bars which formthe double bar F.

G is a triplever pivoted to a bracket 9, secured to the frame by a ping. The trip-lever is provided with a foot-plate h at its front end,arranged conveniently in proximity to the seat of the driver.

H is a projection at the rear end of the trip-lever, which is arrangedbetween the curved rear end of the lever E and the double bar F. Theprojection II is arranged horizontally in the angle formed between theupper side of the bar F and the under side of the curved rear endportion of the lever E. \Vhen the rake-teeth are lowered, the tripleveris in the position shown in Fig. l, and the center of the pin f is heldby the projection H a little below a line or: drawn through the centersof the pins f and d. The toothbar is locked in this position and theteeth cannot rise and release the hay automatically in passing overrough ground. When the trip-lever is depressed by the foot, it raisesthe curved end portion e of the arm E and lifts the center of the pin fabove the line This unlocks the tooth-bar, so that the dumpv ing of thehay can be effected.

I is a pawl pivoted to an arm 2, projecting from the tooth-bar c andnormally held out of engagement with the teeth of the ratchetwheel 5 bya spring 2''.

J is a connection pivoted to the upper part j of, the pawl I and to theupper part of the trip-lever. This connection maybe a jointed rod or acord, chain, or other equivalent device. IVhen the trip-lever isdepressed by the foot, it moves the pawl into engagement with one of theteeth of the ratchet-wheel, and the forward motion of the rake raisesthe rake-teeth and dumps the load. hen the load of hay is dumped, theupper part j of the pawl strikes against a projection j on the frame,which raises the pawl out of engagement with the ratchet-wheel andpermits the rake-teeth and the triplever and locking mechanism to fallback by gravity to their normal positions.

What I claim is 1. In a rake, the combination, with a frame, and apivoted tooth-bar provided with teeth; of a short lever pivoted to thefront part of the frame and provided with an upwardlycurved rear endportion, a bar pivotally connected with the said tooth-bar and lever,and a pivoted triplever provided with a projection arranged horizontallyin the angle formed between the said bar and the curved end said bar andthe curved end portion of the said lever, and a connection between thesaid trip-lever and pawl, said trip-lever operating to unlock thetooth-bar and place the pawl in engagement with the ratchet-wheel,substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JULIUS GOPPERT.

XVitnesses HENRY ALLEN, WILLIAM PIERCE.

